Captivating YA fantasy audiobook Blood Orange Soda by James Michael Larranaga, out now narrated by Ryan Haugen
Hello again, dear audiobooks friends! Today’s Spotlight article is dedicated to Blood Orange Soda, a Young adult fantasy novel written by James Michael Larranaga. Although this novel has been released in other formats almost 8 years ago, the audiobook version has made its debut in January 2022.
Narrator Ryan Haugen has been chosen to bring to life this story and after listening to a few chapters, I think that he does a great job. The audio production is a little longer than eight and a half hours, while the audiobook has been published by the author.
I suggest that you check out the Publisher’s Summary and after that, I will tell you some interesting things about the author and the narrator.
Darius Hunter lives in a world where vampires live among normal humans. Young vampires like Darius are kept on a government-mandated medication that prevents them from becoming fully undead until they’re 18. He’s smart, sensitive and all too human – a struggling outsider who’s just trying to fit in, find a girlfriend, and escape the attention of football bully Bao Wang.
It’s his humanity that often keeps him from his hopes and dreams, so Darius’ “cool uncle”, Jack, a vampire, introduces him to a substance called Blood Orange Soda. This strange analog of steroids can speed Darius’ maturation into his full vampire state, but it can’t guarantee that he’ll avoid disrupting the lives of his mother and sister, win the love of Angel Martin, or successfully face up to Bao. It also doesn’t make him immune to heartbreak and loss.
The author takes familiar themes of young adult fiction – vampires and teen romance – and treats them with a surprising empathy and respect that gives them real weight.
James Michael Larranaga finds reality is fertile ground for fiction. His debut novel, “The Dead Farmer’s Almanac,” about the United States military using weather as a weapon, is based on real military documents. His thriller, “In the Company of Wolves,” delves into the deadly scams of the financial industry, with a bounty hunter who uses remote viewing and his own instincts to hunt evildoers.
Larranaga’s book, “Blood Orange Soda,” is a 2021 Runner-up in the Minnesota Book Project for Young Adult fiction. The story explores with world of vampires who live among the general population but are required by the government to take a daily pill to reduce their bloodlust. This is a big moral dilemma for vampires who want to live freely. While the book was published in 2014 long before the COVID19 outbreak, there are analogies to today’s vaccine rollouts and the pressures for the hero Darius to fit in with an ever-changing society. The novel could be proven prescient. Kirkus Reviews raves about Larranaga‘s world-building and dialogue:
“Its greatest strengths are its relatable characters, who are brought to life by Larranaga‘s involving prose style. Darius moves beyond mere believability to seem truly real; no matter how fantastical or commonplace his situation is, readers will likely accept Darius from Page 1”
Ryan Haugen is a narrator and voice-over artist from Iowa. He can be heard in everything from audiobooks, audio dramas, video games, e-Learning, YouTube videos, Graphic Audio productions, and more. His youthful, warm, and dynamic approach to narration have helped him to specialize in the Young Adult and Science Fiction genres in particular.
Producer of more than 45 audiobooks on Audible, Ryan is also the narrator of 2020’s Indies Today Book of the Year, “One Hit Away: A Memoir of Recovery”, written by Jordan Barnes.
He is a frequent collaborator with Audivita, Silverton Audio, and The Talking Book. Engaged, passionate, and dedicated to consuming media as much as he is producing it, Ryan utilizes his lifelong passion for animation, cinema, and video games to inform his voice over
I will be back early next month with a full review for Blood Orange Soda, but until then, take care, stay safe, and don’t forget, always listen with your heart!
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Victor Dima
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